The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-08
RLAGELLlTION OF CHRIST
A GREAT PAINTING WITH AN
UNCANNY HISTORY.
The Misf5rtunes That Are Said TO
Have Accompanied Its Owner
ship-A Weird story.


lovers of the fine arts would be dis
mayed, says the Star. could they take
peep at the interior of the Museum
Of Art in Central Park and see the
hundreds Of paintings aud statuary
that are heaped around in almost
hopeless confusion. The sight seer,
however, who mounts the granite
steps, will be confronted with the
conspicuous sign, that during altera-
tions the museum is closed, and the
public cannot be admitted until May
9Th.
The pictures of the masters, old
and young, that recently adorned the
walls are now uurecogniZable amid
the heap of debris that is piled in
the huge vaults under the building,
but on May 9Th they will again be
placed in position and renovated to
an extent to gladden. the heart of an
art coDnoisseur.
In the seeming wreck of works of
art is one picture which for weird
ness and the excruciating torture of
the features Of the subject is perhaps
unsurpassed in the gallery. For sew
eral years it has hung on the walls,
unknown and uncared for. 1t is a
relic of one of the old masters whose
identity is unknown.
The picture is the "Flagellation of
Christ" and contains but three fig
ures, the most prominent being the
agonizing features of Him who died
on Calvary's mount. He is firmly
einioned, and the marks of the
Eourge vigorously piled by his two
eaptors are plainly discernible on his
naked body, the blood slowly trick
ling from the gaping wounds.
With thick coating of dust; the
picture looks but nothing, though its
intrinsic value is great, estimated at
100000. So much for its being the
work of an "old" master. Pictures
OF greater merit by members of later
school are placed side by side with
it, that, under the hammer of the
auctioneer,wou not bring one sixth
Of that figure,
1t is not its money value, however,
that makes this work of art of such
peculiar attractiveness. 1t is the
legend and sensational history that
surround it. A history that is close
ly connected with New York City,
some of the characters of which are
. at present alive, and can speak about
it.
Away back in the earlier part of
the fifteenth century, SO the legend
goes, the picture was first discovered
in an old Spanish monastery. Those
were the days when grim visaged war
stalked through the land, and in the
privacy Of his cell Dominic Loubat
prayed before his picture, recluse
to the world. hidden as completely
as in tomb from the trivolities Of
the time.
Many doubts have arisen as t. the
name OF the artist. Previous to its
discovery with Dominic Loubat
nothing is known of it, but treasured
in the hearts of old Spanish resi-
dents some curious fables are at
tached to it.
According to the superstition of
the times Dominic Loubat, previous
to entering the monastery, was
cruel, stern man of the times, whose
only god was gold, in the gaining OF
which he was ready to sell his soul
to the evil one. LOubat was misera-
bly, poor and his neighbors were
startled one morning at finding an ex-
traordiDary change in the mans ap-
pearance. Like another Faust he
had in. one night thrown off the
marks of care that had furrowed his
brow, and appeared before them
with youthful, elastic step, clad in
raiment of crimson and gold.
Loubat could give no explanation
of his sudden accession to wealth,
and the tongues Of the gossipS we're
not long in connecting his changed
condition with the agency OF the evil
one. With fear and trembling they
watched him from afar, avoiding him
as some plague ridden object.
Years rolled by, and one stormy
winters night the district for miles
around Loubat's castle was convulsed
as if in the throes of an earthquake,
and the frightened inhabitants hud-
died together for united protection,
and teartully gazed toward the castle,
that shone from time to time with
fearful brilliancy when illuminated
by the huge sheets of lightning
that seemed ready to devour it. Loud
peals ofthunder reverberated through
the heavens, and the frightened peo-
pie knelt on the sward aud offered up
a prayer for salvation. Suddenly the
sky was Illuminated with blue fire.
The earth trembled under fierce
peal OF thunder like the booming of
artillery. One zigzag streak of light
ming shot from the sky, and an in
slant later Labout castle was a mass
OF ruins. Five minutes later the
sky was again clear. The people
crossed themselves and made their
way to the spot where the castle once
stood.
AS they did so an aged man with
fearful hunted eyes walked slowly
from out the debris, carrying in his
arms the now famous picture. His
hair was white as snow, and in the
aged and wrinkled visage it was al
most impossible to recognize the
dashing Loubat of the day previous.
When he reached the crowd he tot
tered, and would have fallen but for
the reluctant arms extended toward
him, and with mute appeal he sank
to the ground.
For three long months Loubat lay
between life and death, and during
that period his rawlings were of the
most horrible nature. All his past
crimes were Kissed out from his
parched lips aud the story of that
fearful night engraved on the APP
palled hearts of the simple country
people. Years before he had bar
tered his soul for the possession of
wealth, and on that night the devil
had come for his own, his lease of
lite had expired, and in the seclusion
of his castle the wretched man
awaited his fate.
49, Al q g rat yool 81 tbunJor L d, ~